The present invention relates to facsimile transmission systems and, more particularly, to a keyboard to facsimile transmission device comprising, input means for inputting a sequence of identifying signals representing alpha-numeric characters and delimiters comprising a message to be transmitted to a facsimile machine for printing thereby; modem means for establishing a telephonic connection to the facsimile machine; and, transmit means for sequentially retrieving the stored signals, for using the signals to formulate lines of facsimile compatible data representing the alpha-numeric characters associated with the signals; and for transmitting the lines of facsimile compatible data to the facsimile machine.
The transmission of alpha-numeric data from point to point over the telephone lines (including wires, fiber optic cables, microwave, and satellites) is a technology which has grown rapidly over the past few years for commercial, personal, and military applications alike. Devices and modes of data transfer not even contemplated ten years ago are common place today. For example, ten years ago telex, as depicted in FIG. 1, was the common method for the rapid, hard-copy transmission of data. Before that, businesses that wanted to send messages had to employ radio-grams, cable-grams, and tele-grams through outside organizations such as Western Union. With the advent of telex, an office having a telex machine 10 connected to the telephone line 12 could send a written message to any other such device in the world. Each telex 10 had an associated telephone number (just like a telephone). When the receiver's number was dialed, the receiver answered the call and created a telephonic connection between the two telex machines. Anything typed in on the keyboard 14 of one telex would be printed on the printing paper 16 of the sending device and, simultaneously, on the printing paper 16 of the receiving device. While bi-directional "conversations" could be held through typed inputs, the more common use was the uni-directional sending of a pre-typed message from a paper tape (not shown) in order to minimize the connect time for the telephone call.
The original telex machines were large, noisy, and cumbersome to use because of their completely mechanical construction. With the advent of micro-computers, telex machines were upgraded to permit editing of the materials and display of transmitted messages on a CRT display. Before these new embodiments could really take off by way of consumer acceptance, however, two new areas of electronic technology emerged which caused the virtual death knell of telex as a popular and common way of communications. The first was the introduction of low-cost personal computers (PCs) with an associated modem as depicted in FIG. 2. With such apparatus, the telex became redundant. Unlike a telex machine which merely occupied space when not being used for its single purpose, the PCs 18 could provide word processing and other support functions for the business as a primary function. On the rare occasion when a message had to be sent, the message could be input and edited and then sent to the other PC 10 over the telephone line 12 (or a local area network) to be printed out on the PC's printer 20.
The introduction of facsimile (FAX) transmission on a workable basis was the instant replacement for telex. As depicted in FIG. 3, any document 22 can be inserted into the FAX machine 24 where it is scanned and digitized, transmitted over the telephone line 12, and printed out at 26 by the receiving FAX machine 24. Facsimile transmission was available for some time without general acceptance because it was so slow. The document was placed on a rotating drum and slowly scanned in early so-call Group I devices. With Group II and later facsimile transmission, however, the document is placed into a feed hopper and scanned horizontally a line at a time in the same manner as contemporary photocopy devices and at much faster speeds than the old Group I machines. Thus, facsimile transmission has gained rapid acceptance as a useful and practical replacement for telex. The machines are desktop devices occupying little space when not in use. Their price is rapidly dropping and they can digitize and transmit anything that they can "see" including typed text, handwriting (including foreign language characters), and drawings.
With all the benefits of facsimile data transmission, there are instances where the facsimile mode of data input is not the most practical. For example, a busy executive wishing to send a brief message to another executive does not wish to have to prepare the message on a sheet of paper that can be input to the FAX machine and then transport the paper to the FAX machine for transmission. In most offices, there is only one FAX machine for the whole office. In larger companies, there may be a FAX machine for each group or department. In any event, it is unlikely that the busy executive has direct and easy access to the machine required to transmit his message. Where available, so-called "electronic mail" (a variation of the arrangement of FIG. 2 with a plurality of computers tied together over a network) can be used for the purpose. Unfortunately, very few organizations have electronic mail for their employees. This is typically limited to, for example, manufacturers of computer systems which have a large internal computer network which will support electronic mail as a peripheral benefit.
Military applications are another area of use where facsimile transmission can be of benefit; but, where the input mode of conventional facsimile devices is not always practical. For example, a forward observer could transmit data back to a command post over telephone lines (optic fiber being particularly useful in a battle field environment) using facsimile techniques; however, it would not be practical to carry the scanning input device or to prepare documents for scanning and transmission. The forward observer requires a device which can be "militarized" to take the abuse of use in a battlefield environment and a device which can take direct data input. Moreover, he needs something that is easy to use. A battlefield environment is not the time to try to remember complicated computer/device protocols. The objective is to get the data observed back to the command post so that action can be taken thereon.
A similar situation is associated with the placement of orders. In this regard, the term "placement of orders" can encompass many transactions. there is the outside salesperson transmitting orders for products sold back to the home office. There is the consumer wishing to place an order from a catalog, or the like. There is the person wishing to pay bills, etc., in which the creation and transmission of a credit voucher, check, or such, including a legally binding, authorizing signature is required. All these "order placers" have a common goal--they wish to transmit specialized data to a remote source. Moreover, they may be operating in an environment requiring a small, truly portable device (i.e. fits in a briefcase) which can be operated from a telephone booth or from the telephone in a hotel room. Most important, like the military forward observer, they do not want to have to learn a multitude of specialized protocols to perform their task. Current statistics indicate that most of the targets of their data transfer have facsimile devices. Thus, if they could transmit in facsimile format, their "order" could be printed out by the recipient's facsimile device to provide an instant hard copy of the order. On the other hand, contemporary facsimile devices (even so-called "portable" devices) are not practical for the areas of use being considered here.
Wherefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an input device which will permit a user to input alpha-numeric data into a keyboard for direct transmission over the telephone lines to a facsimile device for printing thereby.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for inputting alpha-numeric data into a keyboard and transmitting it over the telephone lines to a facsimile device for printing thereby which is tutorial in nature whereby complicated protocols need not be learned or memorized.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a device for inputting alpha-numeric data into a keyboard and transmitting it over the telephone lines to a facsimile device for printing thereby which includes the capability of inserting an authorizing signature into the document created.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device for inputting alpha-numeric data into a keyboard and transmitting it over the telephone lines to a facsimile device for printing thereby which is small, easily portable, and which can be used with any telephone.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a device for inputting alpha-numeric data into a keyboard and transmitting it over the telephone lines to a facsimile device for printing thereby which can contain the definition of pre-established forms to be displayed for data insertion at appropriate points by a user.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a device for inputting alpha-numeric data into a keyboard and transmitting it over the telephone line to a facsimile device for printing thereby which can be produced in a version which is particularly suited for use by the military in battlefield environments.
Other objects and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the description which follows hereinafter when taken in conjunction with the drawing figures that accompany it.